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An
Introduction
People
around the globe remember East Timor, now called Timor-Leste,
by the horrific violence inflicted upon its people by
militia gangs following the country's 1999 vote for independence
under a UN sponsored referendum.
The
ferocity of the attacks on people,
coupled with the systematic destruction
of most physical infrastructure
left the country shattered and
impoverished. So when INTERFET,
the UN peacekeeping force, arrived
in late September 1999, they found
that a majority of the residents
had fled from their homes and about
a quarter of the population were
forced to leave
the country. Up to 80% of
the nation's roads, bridges, schools,
clinics, other public buildings,
private homes, and electricity
and water systems had been
either badly damaged or destroyed.
Crops were lost and livestock
decimated.
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after, the United Nations
Transitional Administration
for East Timor (UNTAET) was
set up and UNDP arrived on
the scene, together with
other agencies and bilateral
donors. The next two and
a half years were a frenzy
of activity. Internally displaced
people were returned to their
homes and the bulk of the
refugees were repatriated,
basic public infrastructure
restored, elections held,
a constitution drafted, and
a government and functioning
civil service established.
On 20 May 2002, East Timor
became an independent self-governing
country with the baton of
power passing from UNTAET
to the National Government. The
world's newest nation also
found itself to be one of
the poorest. The challenging
tasks of reducing and eliminating
poverty that afflicts the
people and the many conditions
that contribute to it have
begun to be addressed.
At
the beginning, UNDP, like
other development partners,
focused on helping to deal
with emergency relief measures
and thereafter the task of
rehabilitating and rebuilding
the country. Since its arrival
in Timor-Leste in 1999, the
UNDP Country Office has mobilised
over $80 million to fund
programs and projects. Of
this total, about $50 million
has already been disbursed
by the end of 2002. (check)
The
country is moving from the
post-conflict delivery of
emergency services and rehabilitation
of infrastructure to focus
on development priorities
in the short, medium and
long term. In tune with the
changing circumstances, UNDP
is rededicating itself to
working closely with the
national government and the
people of Timor-Leste to
promote and achieve sustainable
development that is both
achievable and affordable.
Future
Activities
Independence saw UNDP's priorities in Timor-Leste
shift from those post conflict recovery to long term
sustainable human development. With a new government
now in place rather than a transitional administration,
a new stage in both the history of East Timor and
UNDP has begun. Of course, UNDP will continue, in
partnership with the Government, in its support for
the institutions of this new democracy, including
the recruitment of 200 "development advisors" necessary
to ensure the basic functioning of government. Our
civic education programme will continue, as will
poverty alleviation and community development work.
But we will also have new focuses. In particular,
it is UNDP's belief that community development, capacity
building, poverty reduction, and the question of
environmental sustainability need to be key areas
for UNDP in the future. |